Supporting frame for horizontal reciprocating engines



JimiA l J. A. McGRr-:w vE1' A1.

SUPPORTING FRAME FOR HORIZONTAL RECIPROCATING l'ENGINES Filed May '7. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan, 27. 1925.

J. A. MCGREW ET AL SUPPORTING FRAME FOR HORIZONTAL RECIPROCATING ENGINES Filed May '7. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w Sm@ NML. m fr mnwfm ,ih I m ,w df/wf m V.A` B S NW Patented Jan. 27, 1925,;

UNITE@ STATES Aai 'r' 'ot-irma,

JOHN A. ivresnnw AND JAMES T. Loana, or ALBANY, New Yoan.

SUPPORTING FRAME FOR HORIZONTAL RECIPROCATING ENG-INES;

Application filed May 7,

- To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, VILLIAM J. LUTTON, and JAMES T. Lonen, both citizens of the -United States, and residents of Albany, county oit' Albany, and State of New York, have invented certain Anew and use'fulImprovements in Supporting Frames forHorizent-al` Reciprocating Engines, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to an improved supporting frame for horizontal reciprocating engines and in its broader aspects comprehends the provision of an improved frame structure particularly designed for use in connection with auxiliary or booster motors for locomotives whereby the engine or motor may be conveniently7 mounted and adequately supported upon and'between spaced load bearing axles of a railway carriage or truck.

More particularly, our present improvements provide an engine supporting frame in the form of a single one-piece casting provided at its opposite ends with bearing parts for engagement with the spaced axles and having means for the compact mounting and arrangement of the sliding cross-heads connected with the engine pistons and the ldrive gearing for transmitting motion to one oii the truck axles. lt is also an importa-nt feature `of the invention to provide an engine supporting frame of such construction that' an automatic pressure actuated control valve for entraining the motor with the axle and governing the supply of steam to the motor cylinders may be detachably mounted in operative position so that when necessary it ma)v be readily removed without completely dismantling the engine.

It is a further general objectand purpose of our invention to provide a supporting frame for booster motors of the horizontal reciprocating type which provides a properly balanced support-for the engine, is of very substantial construction and enables the workingparts of the engine to be prop erly housedv and protected.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved supporting frame for the engine or motor, and

in'the form, construction and relative ar- 1angement of its several parts-as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and subsequently incorporated in the subj'oined claims.

l'n the`drawings wherein we have disclosed onepractical and satisfactory embodiment of suitable bearings 1923. serial No. 637,324.

taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3'is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged Adetail section illustrating the mounting and arrangement of the control valve; and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of Figurelle In the embodiment of the inventionwhich we have selected for purposes of illustration, i

we have shown the engine or motor and its supporting frame. mounted and arranged upon and between the spaced axles 5-and 6 respectively, of a railway truck. lt will be understood that in sotar as our present improveniente are concerned the booster motor or engine may be arranged for operation in connection withv the pilot or trailer truck ot thelocomotive, the tender truck, or one of the carriages or coach trucks. rlhe several parts of the motor or engine whereby power is transmitted to one of the truck axles are carried as a complete motor unit upon a single frame structure so that this motor unit with all parts assembled, together with its frame, may be mounted or arranged in operative position upon the truck axle-sv or removed therefrom in a. single operation.

As herein shown, the supporting frame includes lateral or side portions 7 which are of identical form and construction, each of said side portions having a longitudinally extending channel 8 to the base wall of which the parallel guide-ways 9 forone of the engine cross heads 10 are suitable secured. Atene end, this cross head receiving channel communicates with a relatively deep chamber 11 formed in the frame structure which accommodates the connecting rod 12 which connects the cross head 10 with a counter balance 13 fixed upon one end of thedrive shaft 14. This drive shaft is journaled in 15 formed upon the inner side walls of tlie chambers 11 and extends transversely of the frame structure above the transverse web or wall 16 which integrally( connects the side portions of the frame structure Z at one of their ends to each other. A vertical wall 17 is formed at the inner edge `of the transverse web 16 and .at its opposite ends is integral with'ithe y bearings are -then applied and securely bolted'to the frame structure as seen in Figure 3 of the drawings. y

Between thetwo axle engaging parts 21 of the frame structure, the transverse end walls 2O are integrally connected at their upper ends by the bar 23 upon which is formed the upper housing section 24 for the gear 25 on the axle 6. The lower housing section 26 is securely bolted to the section 24 and tro the transverse frame web 16 as seen in Figure 2 of the drawings.

'At their other ends the lateral or side portions 7 ofthe frame structure are integrally connected by the vertical transverse wall 27 which is formed at its upper 'end witha longitudinally projecting horizontally disposed arm 28, the extremity of which has a vpivotal or rocking seat 29 centrally positioned over the axle 5 upon the leaf suspension springs 30 which are mounted at their ends on the spaced axle bearings 31.

The engine cylinders 32 are carried by opposlte ends of a transversely posltioned beam extending under the horizontalframe `arm 28, said beam being also provided with' .A steam distributing valve chambers leading 4to the respective cylinders.

The cylinders and the connecting beamv are rigidly mounted upon the vertical frame wall 27 asby means of the bolts 33. the steam inlet'nipple 34 communicating with the distributing valve chambers being positioned through an opening in the frame wall 27, as shown in Figure 2 ot the drawings. l-

The gearing tor entraining the drive shaft 14 with the truck axle 6 includes a transmission gear element. mounted in a frame 35 having spaced bearings loosely engaged on the drive shaft for turning or rocking movement. The supply of steam to the en'- gine cylinders and the entrainment of the drive shaft with the .f axle is controlled through the medium of a steam pressure actuated valve generally indicated by the numeral 36. As herein shown, the easing of this valve is formed on one side with 4oppositely projecting flanges 37. The wall 17 of the frame structure has a relatively thick portion formed with a rabbet 38 at its upper edge in which ribs or tongues 39 on the upper edges of the flanges 37 are seated.

' Each of the flanges is rigidly secured to the wall 17 by the bolts 40. At its lower end the valve cylinder or easing is provided with the oppositely projecting vinlet ,and outlet connections 41 and 42 respectively. Steam is supplied from the locomotive power plant through the pipe 43 which is suitablyA coupled to the inlet connection-4l of the valve cylinder and the outlet connection 42 thereof is connected -with the inlet nipple 34 leading to the steam distributmg valves by means of the pipe section 45, suitable luid tight couplings being provided between the ends of this pipe section, the outlet connection 42 of the valve cylinder and the steam` inlet nipple The steam distributing valves 46 which control the admission of steam to the engine cylinders 32 are actuated by means of the bell cranks 47 mounted upon the base plate of the frame structure between the lateral or side portions 7 and fthe longitudinally extending webs 18 thereof, said bell cranks being actuated by the rods 48 connected to straps engaged with eceentries 49 on the drive shaft 14.

The working parts of the engine or motor mounted upon opposite sides of the frame nstructure are substantially enclosed within housings formed by the frame, the upper sides of these housings being closed by the 'cover plates 50. These cover plates rest upon the vertical flanges or walls ot' the frame structure and extend inwardly upon the tvertical webs or walls 18, said plates being bolted, riveted or otherwise secured upon the walls of the frame structure. At

one of their ends, these cover plates are tion that in the in'iproved trame construction, we provide for the very compact arrangement ot the several parts of the booster motor or propulsion unit and .are also enabled to readily mount the automatic piessure actuated control valve in position for proper operation of the entrainment mech-- anism and whereby said valve is easily ar,- cessible so that it may be readily removed fol inspection or repair when necessary. The supporting frame structure for the several parts of the booster motor being produced in the form of a single casting which is of symmetrical construction, as-

maa-,ise-

sures an equal distribution of the suspended Weight between the spaced truck axles, This one-piece construction of the frame also precludes the possibility of relative displacement of the working parts which might be caused by the loosening ot connecting bolts or the shearing of rivets employed in connecting separate parts of the frame structure to each other. 1

We have herein shown the exhaust connection 51 from; the engine cylinders having 'a pipe or conduit 52 coupled thereto which may' extend to a second booster motor or propulsion unitavhereby the latter is operated by a further expansion ot the steam.

llVe do not herein claim the broad idea of a motor ot this character mounted upon a supporting trame suspended between spaced truck axles, as this subject matter is fully claimed in our prior Patent No. 1,412,250, issued April 11, 1922. Likewise, no claim is made in the present application to the means for effecting entrainment between the booster motor and the driven axle, or the pressureactuated control'valve per se, as the former is disclosed and claimed in our issued Patents Nos. 1,447,852 and 1,447,353 of March 6th, 1923 and said control valve is described and claimed in a copending application i'or patent, lield January- 6th, 1922, Ser. No. 527,302. Further we do not claim herein the broad idea of operating such a booster motor by steam' supplied from the locomotive boiler and automatically controlling its eii'ective opera tion by the pressure ot such steam, since such broad combination is described and claimed in a second co-pending application for patent tiled by us on December 15, 1921` Ser. No. 522,525. lt will, therefore be understood that the novel subject matter of the present application resides solely in the improved features ot the one-piece supporttiti ing trame structure and the mannerI inl which the several parts of the booster motor and the control valve therefor are supported and arranged upon this frame structure.`

ln this respect, We believe that our present improvements are ot considerable practical importanre in the art and provide for the more efficient and reliable operation of horizontal reciprocating engines or auxiliary propulsion units`of this type.

While ive have herein specifically described and illustrated an embodiment ot the invention which. We have found to be thoroughly practical and satisfactory in actual use` it is nevertheless to be understood that the essential features of our pres ent improvement might also be exemplified in numerous other alternative structures and We accordingly reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope et the invention as4 claimed.

.l claim:

1. A motor supporting trame structure consisting of a one-piece integral casting having lateral or side portions constituting housings tor Working parts of the motor, said side portions of the frame structure at one otl their ends being integrally connected' With a central longitudinally projectingT arm adapted to be mounted upon a truck axle and said frame .structure at its opposite end having bearing parts tor engagement upon a second truck axle.

2. motor supporting trame structure having lateral side portions constituting housings for Working parts of the motor,

vsaid frame structure having transversely extending parts integrally connecting` said housings with each other and provided at its opposite ends with bearing extensions adapted for engagement upon spaced truck axles, and cover plates closing the upper sides of the housings of said frame structure.

3. A motor supporting frame. structure consisting of a one-piece integral casting having lateral or side portions formed to provide housings Jfor working parts of the motor, said side portions at one end ot thc trame being integrally connected by a longitudinally extending horizontal arm adapted to be mounted upon a truck axle, the cylinders of the motor being mounted and supported upon the part ot' the frame structure connecting said arm With the side or lateral portions ot the frame, and bearing extensions at the other ends ot said side portions ot the frame structure ior engagement upon a second truck axle.

el.. A motor supporting frame structure consisting of a one-piece casting having lateral or side portions formed to provide housings i'or reciprocating cross-heads and operating gear for steam distributing valves, said trame structure at its opposite ends being provided with bearing extensions adapted to be mounted and supported upon spaced truck axles, cover plates for said housings, and a steam pressure actuated control valve removably mounted upon the frame structure between the lateral or side portions thereof.

5. n combination, a one-piece motor supporting trame casting having bearing ex tensions at its opposite ends adapted to be mounted upon spaced truck axles` said frame casting at the opposite sides thereof being formed with longitudinally extending housings, a transversely positioned drive shatt mounted in the frame structure, steam receiving cylinders and steam distributing valves mounted upon one end ofthe frame casting, driving connections between the lie cylinder pistons and the ends of said drive shaft working in said longitudinal housings, operating connections between the drive shaft and said distributing valves mounted in saidhousings, gearing for entraining the drive shaft with one. of the truck axles, and .Cover plates closing the upper sides of said lhousin s having a transversely extending V integra connection at one of their ends extending over said gearing. l

6. In combination, a one-piece motor supe porting frame casting having bearing extensions at its opposite ends adapted to be mounted upon spaced truck axles, said trame casting at the ropposite sides thereof .being formed with longitudinally extending housings, a transversely positioned drive' tending over said gearing and a steam presan integral connection at one of their ends sure actuated valve detachably mounted upon the frame structure between said thousings operatively, connected to the entrainment gearing and controlling the supply of steam to the engine cylinders.

17. In combination, a one-piece motor supporting frame casting formed at its oppo-`v site sides with longitudinally extending housings and having a transversely extending web connecting the inner side walls of said housings a-nd a vertical wall at one edge of said web, a transversely positioned drive shaft mounted in the frame structure above said web, a steam actuated motor mounted upon the frame structure and having working parts positioned in said housings and operatively `connected to the drive shaft, gearing for entraining said shaft vwith one of the truck axles, a steam pressure actuated vvalve detachably mounted upon said-ver tical wall operatively connected to said gearing and controlling the supply of steam to the motor cylinders, and cover plates for the upper open sides oit said housing having extending over said entrainment gearing.

8." A motor supporting frame including spaced housings for working parts'of the motor, each of said housings having a bearing at one of its ends for engagement upon g an axle, and a single bearing arm supporting said 'housings at their opposite ends and adapted to be mounted upon a second axle.

9. A motor supporting frame including spaced housings for workin parts of the motor, each of said housings aving a bearing at one of its ends for engagement upon an axle, a single bearing arm supportm said housings -at their opposite ends an .adapted to be mounted upon a second axle, 4said housings being open at their upper sides, gearing arranged between said housings for transmitting power from the motor to one of said axles, and a cover plate extend-ing over said gearing and closing the open sides of said housings.

10. In combination, a motor supporting frame having bearing extensions at ,itsl opposite ends andformed with longitudinally extending. housings at its opposite sides, motor piston cylinders mounted upon one end of the frame structure,a drive shaft journaled in the frame structure, driving connections between themotor'pistons and said 4shaft working in said longitudinal .housings, and a motivating fluid control valvel for the piston cylinders removably mounted upon the frame structure exteriorly of said housings.

' 11. In combination, a motor supporting framev having bearing extensions at its opposite ends and formed with longitudinally extending housings at its opposite sides, motor piston cylinders mounted upon oneend of the frame structure, a drive shaft journaled in the frame structure, drivin connections between the motor 4pistons and said shaft working in said longitudinal housings, means for 4transmitting power from said shaft to a driven part, safid means including an element movable to and from its effective power transmitting position, and a fluid pressure operated valve removably mounted upon salid frame structure exteriorily of said housings for shifting said element to power transmitting position. .12. In combination, a m'otor supporting frame formed with longitudinally extendingl housings at its opposite sides, motor piston cylinders mounted upon one end of the frame structure, a driving shaft journaled in the frame structure, drivin connections between the motor pistons an said shaft working in said longitudinal housings, means arranged between the housings for transmitting power from said shaft to. a driven part,v a cover-plate extendin over said power transmission means and closing the Vupper sides of the housings, and a duid pressure actuated valve controlling ithe effective operation of said power transmission means and removably mounted upon the frame structure exteriorly of said housings.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have signed our names hereunder. f

JOHN A. MCGREW. JAMES T. LOREE.

Y Patent No. 1,524,189.

Iread Wth'ths co'rction therein .that t i case' in the Patent .OceI v HCertiicate of Correction.

I Itis hereby certied that error appears in the. printed speccaton of the above-l numbered patent re urhg correction as follows: Page l; line 2, for 1,. William J.

Luttonread we. 07m fl. McGraw; and'that the said Letters Patent'vsho'uldbe helsande muy conform to the record ofthe Signed and sealed this 17th day of May.` 'A D 192A?.

[SEAL] v J MOORE, v 4 Acting -OomnsSZo//wr 'ofPaltents- 

